Sleeping outside in freezing weather

[KimbosKluckers]

Oh I posted another thread about this but here’s the girl with the bloody beak. It’s slightly cracked

 

[aart]

Oh and I wasn’t able to see mites but I’ll look again, I’m afraid I don’t know what to look for.

Here's some tips about checking them over real well for mites and/or lice:

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Look fast, they will scatter quickly once the feathers are parted and the light hits them.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Here's some tips about checking them over real well for mites and/or lice:

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Look fast, they will scatter quickly once the feathers are parted and the light hits them.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

Thank you for this. Very informative. I will look again tonight.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

lol I thought they’d eat a mouse too (they have before) I assume at night it scares them? I believe the bloody beak came from frozen water bowl but I fixed that and she seems ok so far. The only thing I don’t like about wrapping the run with cloth is it blocks the warm morning sun. Hmm Good news is last night 3 of them slept in the coop! I’m hoping the others will catch on soon. I truly appreciate your help!
Oh and I wasn’t able to see mites but I’ll look again, I’m afraid I don’t know what to look for.

I'm so glad that they are making progress!

 

[alinas2010]

Sorry, I should have mentioned I added a lot more ventilation…there’s also a window on the backside that is open when it’s not blowing snow. View attachment 3981118View attachment 3981119

It sounds like you have gotten great advice and have this problem under control, but I just wanted to add to check the size of the roost bars inside the coop if you haven’t already. I can’t tell from the pics, those might be perfect, but check the that the edges aren’t too sharp, also. Those prefab coops notoriously come with roosts that their feet outgrow fast, although this one seems a lot better than most! Good luck

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I'm so glad that they are making progress!

Thanks. Back to only 2 going in at night It’s warmer so not too concerned but it’ll get cold again.

It sounds like you have gotten great advice and have this problem under control, but I just wanted to add to check the size of the roost bars inside the coop if you haven’t already. I can’t tell from the pics, those might be perfect, but check the that the edges aren’t too sharp, also. Those prefab coops notoriously come with roosts that their feet outgrow fast, although this one seems a lot better than most! Good luck

You know I would tend to agree because I thought they’d outgrow those 2x2 bars but the bar they roost in at night outside is the same size Still 3 or 4 of them won’t coop up. Ugh.

 

[ArmelChix]

My gals (8 months old) are starting to roost outside their coop even in snowy/cold weather. This just started a couple weeks ago, they used to always coop up. Nothing has changed except the weather. Their run is completely predator proof. Is this normal? I even put a light in their coop since I read that maybe my solar lights keep them out. I put them in manually a couple times and they run right back out. Thanks!

Could the snow be causing the problem? Maybe it's reflecting light or the opposite ,... dampening light and makes it look darker. Maybe try shoveling the snow out or cover it with a tarp at night. If they're 8 months old is this their first experience with snow? Can you close them up in the coop? They may need an adjustment period.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

It sounds like you have gotten great advice and have this problem under control, but I just wanted to add to check the size of the roost bars inside the coop if you haven’t already. I can’t tell from the pics, those might be perfect, but check the that the edges aren’t too sharp, also. Those prefab coops notoriously come with roosts that their feet outgrow fast, although this one seems a lot better than most! Good luck

Oh no!! I lied!! The inside bars are 1x1 and outside is 2x2!! No wonder. I just replaced one of them with 1x5 trex. Will do the other later (it needs cutting to size) I hope it’s this simple!

Could the snow be causing the problem? Maybe it's reflecting light or the opposite ,... dampening light and makes it look darker. Maybe try shoveling the snow out or cover it with a tarp at night. If they're 8 months old is this their first experience with snow? Can you close them up in the coop? They may need an adjustment period.

There’s no snow in their run whatsoever but yes it’s their first real experience. I just changed out their small roost bars. I hope this helps. Thanks so much.

 

[alinas2010]

Oh no!! I lied!! The inside bars are 1x1 and outside is 2x2!! No wonder. I just replaced one of them with 1x5 trex. Will do the other later (it needs cutting to size) I hope it’s this simple!


There’s no snow in their run whatsoever but yes it’s their first real experience. I just changed out their small roost bars. I hope this helps. Thanks so much. View attachment 3987167

Wow I hope that solves the issue! We have the smaller version of the producers pride coop and our girls used it as a grow out coop while we built their big girl coop and run. The inside roost quickly had to be changed out because it was far too small for their pullet feet, even at just 16 weeks old!

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Wow I hope that solves the issue! We have the smaller version of the producers pride coop and our girls used it as a grow out coop while we built their big girl coop and run. The inside roost quickly had to be changed out because it was far too small for their pullet feet, even at just 16 weeks old!

Makes perfect sense now. I feel awful.